Deliciously creamy, cheesy, and filling, this Baked Mostaccioli Pasta dish is the perfect comfort food to keep the cold days at bay! This amazing dish is ready in less than an hour and is perfect for weeknight dinners for the whole family.
410gramsMostaccioli pastaor penne lisce about 1 lb
3cupsmozzarella cheesedivided
2cupsricotta cheeseabout 450 grams
½cupParmesan cheesedivided
1large egg
Instructions
Make the sauce
Heat some olive oil in a large skillet, and cook the sausage and onion until browned.
Add garlic, salt, and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the marinara tomato sauce and simmer for 5-10 minutes so that the flavors come together. Stir in spinach and adjust seasonings to taste, adding a pinch of red pepper flakes for spice if desired.
Baked Mostaccioli
In a large pot of boiling water with salt, cook the mostaccioli pasta just until al dente. Drain.
Meanwhile, combine 2 cups mozzarella, ricotta, ¼ cup Parmesan, and egg. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish (if baking later, you can leave the oven off until ready to bake).
Spread ½ cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan, then top with half of the pasta.
Spread the ricotta cheese on top, then add half of the remaining sauce.
Top with remaining pasta, then remaining sauce. Finish with 2 cups mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until it is light golden on top, and bubbly. Serve.
Notes
Make Ahead: This dish will last for 3 days in the refrigerator before baking, so it's a great dish to prepare at the weekend for a quick weeknight meal during the week! You can even bake it straight from the fridge! You may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time when baking it from chilled.
Storage:
Store: Store in an airtight container, or covered in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Allow it to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.
Freeze: Freeze this pasta bake either before or after cooking it. Freezing it before the cooking stage will give you the freshest flavor once baked, but your frozen leftovers will still be delicious the second time around!